nice quiet place. close to local attractions and restaurants. nice playground for kids. has a great…read morebeachand close to several others in area

Located on Grand Traverse Bay just north of Torch Lake. Barnes Park is open year-round offering an…read moreextensive Lake Michigan beach, playground, and trails, with additional seasonal camping and pavilion rentals (Memorial Day through October.) Various outdoor recreational activities including Lake Michigan beach access, trails, and playground. Electric and rustic campsites. Dump station & water fill station. They have a well stocked camp Store offering ice, firewood, beverages, candy, etc .. Each campsite is outfitted with a fire ring and picnic table. There were two bathhouses with shower facilities that were clean and ADA accessible. Showers are coin operated ($0.50 for 5 minutes of hot water, quarters only). Also two spacious pavilions with electrical outlets. Each pavilion has 10 picnic tables and 4 BBQ grills (You can reserve a pavilion for the day by using our online reservation.

Do NOT rent here. We are experienced boaters and had a terrifying experience with their pontoon…read morerental. The boat's engine failed on the water, leaving us drifting into a rocky shoreline in dangerous, choppy conditions. Neighbors ran down to help, children were crying, and several people were injured. The company told us not to call the Coast Guard (others did anyway) and promised help--but instead sent two men in a truck who could only take three people, stranding the rest of us with small children and no keys or phones. When we finally got back, the owner was rude, blamed us, insisted his boats never fail, and tried to charge us the full rental plus $2,000 for damages--on the boat that had broken down. Check the Google reviews before booking--this isn't the first time this has happened. Spend your money elsewhere.

Our whole experience was exceptional from the time we arrived where employees arrive at your car to…read morehelp with belongings. Thorough explanation of do's and dont's including recommendations for visits while on the water. Boat was beautiful and very clean. All of staff were beyond friendly and helpful, specifically a shout out to our main "coordinator" of the day Brendan, thank you for making such an amazing boating experience for me and my family. We will absolutely be renting and recommending in the future.

Recently sailed on the 3 day 2 night program called "Women on the Water"…read moreIt was amazing. We had a good wind on our first day and were able to enjoy and participate in some true sailing. The crew of the Inland Seas was wonderful and encourage everyone to enjoy the science and the sailing. The HIGHLIGHT of the trip was looking at plankton under the super cool microscope. Made some friends, ate good food, learned some things, laughed and sailed. Perfect way to spend some time!!

I went by here to pick up something I had ordered, a piece of clothing. Sadly, the delivery wasn't…read morebut I got to be educated about plankton. So, that's cool. School groups can come here April-October/November. There are also sails for family, friends- the public. All the opportunities are interesting. I say come volunteer.

Taylor was the best and thanks to the lads who we returned our waverunners to. Great kids and…read moreexcellent service. They accommodated our reservation change and novice renting skills. Also, don't sleep on the chicken bites, tees and knickknacks in the shop. Everything you need for lake time with friendly service.

Quite a large selection of shirts, necessities for a tackle shopper. Gas pump service was quick &…read moreexperienced.

Second year in a row renting a pontoon for the 4th. The whole DWS team is fantastic! Christian…read morehelped us get our stuff into the boat, explained everything in detail. At the end of the day, he helped us remove all of our things and insisted on carrying our bags to the car for us. Not to mention, the boat was beautiful!!! Basically brand new!! Becky who is one of the owners is the sweetest lady! We will continue to go back, year after year!

The staff is amazing! We look forward to coming here every single year. They are kind…read moreaccommodating, and give us the best experience. We truly enjoy Dockside and all their services every single year!

Great experience. Knowledgable, flexible, and has great equipment…read more I was traveling to Michigan to meet up with a range of family. I wanted to rent some equipment that would allow me to have fun as an experienced windsurfer and to be able to teach a range of people weighing from 145 to 225 lbs, and ranging in age from 19 to 60+. Dave provided everything we needed and offered to swap things out as wind conditions changed. He knows his stuff and is fair and honest and a nice person.

Torch Lake is Michigan's longest inland lake at 19 miles, deepest at 285' and 2nd largest. What…read morethose facts don't convey, is the beauty of the lake. Drive NE Torch Lake from M88 for a couple of miles and look to your right take in the beauty of the lake from the hills NE Torch lake winds through. Locals say that 6 shades of blue can be found in Torch's crystal clear water and I believe it to be true. I've had the pleasure of getting to know the owners Dave and Lisa over the last couple of years. They are seasoned sailors and and can provide lessons if you are new to sailing/windsurfing or just rusty. In the case of windsurfing they have a simulator on land that allows them to give instructions while you practice, without getting your feet wet. They will also take you out into the lake and provide instruction based on your skill level. Their business is located in a small subdivison on the NE side of the lake. Wak-Wing can be challenging to find with a GPS, keep in mind the city is Central Lake. Look for the white sign with a sailboat on it. While it's possible to catch them at the beach, it's highly recommended that you call and make an appointment. Enjoy!

My family loves Lost Valley! My wife camped there when she was a kid and then was a counselor…read morelater, but we have also stayed a few times recently and it has been a lot of fun. My kids climbed the climbing tower, used the go-karts and swam at the beach and loved every minute of it. Tony, Amy and the rest of the staff are phenomenal as well. We will definitely be back!

I went there in the late 1960s with my mother being a nurse to the camp then. Wax fun & had good…read morefellowship at the time, even though a bus took us to a swimming hole some ways away. Hikes to THE "Lost Valley" was memorable also. Having fun with a 'faith-focus' was good as it helped me through various aspects of this life then & now, being diabetic type 1 since 1964. I wish all well whatever happens or not: http://reallayman.webs.com/ Jesus is only coming back ONCE, not 14 times (per the New Testament of "harpazo" = "rapture"). Hope to see you 'later'

Chris was great and the whole experience was fantastic. They had the boat clean and ready for us at…read morethe beginning of our trip and were ready for us right when we got off the lake. It was exactly what we needed, will absolutely be going through them again the next time we need a boat rental

We enjoyed a great day out on Lake Charlevoix. Chris & Drew were great! So easy to work with!…read more The pontoon was in great condition, so clean. Drew had it in the water waiting for us, gave us the how tos and we were on our way to float, tube and enjoy the day on the water. We were back 20 minutes early and Drew was waiting for us. They made the day effortless for us. Our kids are ready to make this a tradition. Already looking forward to next summer!